LAS VEGAS – Joining in the fight world’s evolution to promoting the exciting and thrilling action of women’s championship competition, Scott Kent, Owner of Lion Fight Promotions, today announced that he has signed the undefeated WBC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Tiffany Van Soest to a long-term multi-fight contract starting in 2013. Van Soest becomes one of the few Muay Thai athletes to be signed to an extended contract with Lion Fight, and the first female ever in the history of the organization.

“Tiffany Van Soest showed fight fans what she is made of on October 13th in her WBC title fight with Jeri Sitzes, and by the third round she had won me over, and I think she won over just about everyone who watched her that night,” said Kent. “She’s a hard working, intelligent fighter who is committed to growing women’s Muay Thai in America. She is a great ambassador for the sport and I am proud to state that she now fights exclusively with us under the Lion Fight banner.”

Van Soest said, “I am honored to become the first female Muay Thai fighter to sign a long-term contract with Lion Fight. Thanks to Scott Kent, I feel like I have been given an opportunity to represent the women in Muay Thai, showcase my skills on the big stage, and prove that women fighters bring just as much action, excitement, and marketability to the sport as the men. To me, this is my chance to do for Women’s Muay Thai, what Gina Carano, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate have done for women’s MMA.”

A California native, Van Soest started her martial arts training when she was just eight years old with the U.S. Karate Organization in Riverside, Calif. She earned a second-degree (rank of Nidan) black belt when she was only 17. After winning consecutive USKA State, National, and World karate titles, she began training in Muay Thai. With athletic abilities not limited to martial arts, Van Soest also grew up as a soccer player and played two seasons while studying at Cal State San Marcos to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and certifications in personal training. She holds a perfect professional Muay Thai record of 4-0 (1-draw) and was recently crowned the WBC Women’s Bantamweight Champion when she defeated her opponent Jeri Sitzes October 13 via unanimous decision.

Kent stated that Van Soest would compete in a title fight in early 2013, either headlining or appearing as the co-main event on the card. In addition to Van Soest, Lion Fight is in the process of signing numerous other top-ranked Muay Thai fighters to the organization and will make those announcements as soon as they are official.